2020 What Car? Reliability Survey: family SUVs

Most reliable family SUVs

1. BMW X1 petrol (2015-present)

Reliability rating 98.1%

What went wrong? Non-engine electrics 5%, air-con 3%, exhaust 3%, interior trim 3%

If you want a dependable X1, pick a petrol model. Just 8% of petrol-engined X1s suffered a fault, compared with 25% of diesels. All of the cars we were told about remained driveable and were fixed in less than a week, and all work was done for free.

Owner’s view “After two years, my car still looks and feels like new. It’s been 100% reliable and the build quality is excellent”

2. Skoda Karoq petrol (2017-present)

Reliability rating 97.9%

Although petrol Karoqs suffered more faults than diesels (14% versus 7%), the petrol versions could all still be driven, unlike two-thirds of diesels. The petrols took less time to repair, too. Engine and non-engine electrics were the main troublespots, followed by a small percentage of issues with interior trim. All of the affected cars could still be driven; four out of five were repaired in less than a week, and all work was done under warranty.

3. Vauxhall Mokka petrol (2012-2019)

Reliability rating 97.7%

Owners told us that 19% of Mokkas went wrong, with engine electrics and the exhaust the main areas of concern. All of the troublesome cars remained driveable and two-thirds were rectified in a day or less. Even better, all work was done for free.

Least reliable family SUVs

1. Range Rover Evoque (2011-2019)

Reliability rating 82.8%

What went wrong? Bodywork 12%, brakes 12%, engine electrics 8%, non-engine electrics 8%, air-con 6%, engine 6%, battery 2%, fuel system 2%, infotainment/sat-nav 2%, suspension 2%

The original Evoque isn’t ageing well, with owners telling us 35% of their cars have gone wrong in the past year. Around a quarter were rendered undriveable and more than a third took more than a week to put right. While 95% of the remedial work was done for free, a small percentage of repair bills ranged from £300 to more than £1500.

Owner’s view “Reliability has been atrocious; I’ve had problems with oil dilution into the engine and particulate filter failure with no warning”

2. Nissan Qashqai (2014-present)

Reliability rating 87.0%

Few of the cars we were told about had a higher proportion of faults than the Qashqai, with 40% of them going wrong. The battery and non-engine electrical systems caused the most problems, followed by the brakes, exhaust and interior trim. Most of the stricken cars could still be driven, but more than a quarter spent a week or longer in the garage. On the bright side, four out of five of them were fixed for free and no repair bills topped £300.

3. Jaguar E-Pace (2017-present)

Reliability rating 88.4%

E-Pace owners reported that 22% of their cars had suffered a fault, with the engine and its electrical components being the main culprits. There were also issues with non-engine electrical systems, including the air-con and infotainment, and some problems with the brakes, gearbox/clutch and fuel system. Although two-thirds of the afflicted cars could still be driven, a third languished in the garage for more than a week. While 93% of repairs were done for free, a small percentage of owners paid up to £750.

The 2021 What Car? Reliability Survey is open; tell us about your car

Reliability for family SUVs aged up to five years old

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